Media Library
Check out Shaul’s articles and shiurim
The Blame Generation
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
Why We Think the Past Was Better
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
Coming Home
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
You & God
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
Rosh Hashanah: A Day To Dream
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
The Shofar: Beyond Words
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
Your Life Is In Your Hands
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
The Courage to Let Go
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
Finding Meaning in Tisha B’Av
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
The Gift Of Tisha B’Av
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
What Is History?
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
Don’t Fear Change
Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt reflects on life’s constant change, the Jewish people’s desert journeys, and why spiritual growth requires courage and adaptation.
Service Before Status
A reflection on Joshua, Moses, and true leadership — serving others without ego, status, or the need for recognition.
You’ll Never Walk Alone
Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt explores free will, Bilaam, and the comforting idea that God accompanies us even on the messiest paths.
Humility In Leadership
I wanted to do something a little different this week and share my daughter’s davar Torah instead of my own. She’s just started writing and I think she’s…
Why God Gives Us Choice
In this week’s portion, God tells Moses to send spies to Israel. However, in a few weeks’ time, the story is retold and this time the Children of…
There Is Always a Second Chance
In this week’s portion is the ‘Second Passover’. It is an opportunity for anyone who was unable to bring the Paschal Lamb offering on Passover to bring it…
The Feeling We Bring
There is an oft discussed idea in this week’s portion. The prince of each tribe brings an offering to dedicate the Tabernacle. Each offering is spelt out in…
What’s In It For Me?
The Rabbis tell us, allegorically, that God offered the Torah to the other nations before Sinai. Each asked the same question: “What’s in it?” God responded by presenting…
The Wisdom Of “I Don’t Know”
‘I don’t know’: one of life’s most empowering phrases. Because when we don’t know – and we humbly accept that fact – new worlds open before us. In…
A Rabbi, Two Friends, and a Piece of Land
This portion is about land and ownership thereof; there is a beautiful story on this topic. I’ve said it before but it is always meaningful to me when…
Is It Time for Jews to Leave the UK?
As a rabbi in London, I hear that question more and more frequently. And I see some quietly voting with their feet as well. But for me, the…
Why You Must Grieve
As a general rule, a priest is strictly not allowed to come into contact with a dead body. He is to be ‘holy’ and not come near that…
Incest, Intuition, and the Moral Law No Society Breaks
It’s always fascinated me that incest is such a human universal. Anthropologists have searched extensively and have yet to find a society that condones it – today and…
It’s All In The Way You See It
In this portion, the word nego, “affliction,” comes up over and over again in talking about tzoras (see Torah Portion). Let’s examine this word nego for a moment. One of the remarkable features…
Every Role Matters: The Power of Small Contributions
The rabbis tell us that when the priests cleared the ashes from the altar, they wore their finest clothes. Cleaning the ashes was the least glamorous of all…
Why the Pursued Are Brought as Offerings
The birds used for offerings in the Temple were the dove and the pigeon. The rabbis point out that these are not birds of prey. They are ‘pursued,…
The Only Wealth You Take With You
I was in Krakow a few days ago with my rabbis and a group of their community members. I stood with some of them in front of an…
Your Value Isn’t Money
The mandatory tax in support of the Tabernacle was a fixed amount of half a shekel from each person. The Torah is very specific that ‘the rich shall…
Is Anyone Truly Evil?
A special portion is read this week in advance of Purim. It is called Zachor. It recalls the attack of the nation of Amalek against the Children of Israel immediately…
Without us, Earth is just another big rock.
In Jewish thinking, God created a Universe in potential and left it up to us human beings to bring it to fruition – to perfect it. Yet, whilst…
The Power Of A Loan
Giving an interest-free loan, which is discussed in this week’s portion, is one of the highest forms of charity. It fits the classic idea of giving someone a…
When Joy And Pain Meet
When Jethro heard from Moses about the Exodus from Egypt, the Torah says that he rejoiced over “the good that God had wrought on behalf of Israel.” Rashi…
‘Matchmaking is as hard for God as splitting the sea’
An older man once told me that, in his opinion, there is no such thing as a happily married couple. He explained his logic: there is a 40%…
Pharaoh’s Heart
In this portion God finally hardens Pharaoh’s heart after warning repeatedly that He would do so. Pharaoh wanted to let the Jewish People go, but God prevented him…
Why Real Change Is So Hard To Hold Onto
In the midst of almost every plague, Pharaoh said he would let the Children of Israel leave Egypt. Once the plague was over, though, he changed his mind.…
We Choose Who We Become
My son Matty once pointed out God’s sense of humour. Pharaoh decreed that every Jewish baby boy be killed. The sages explain that his astrologers had foreseen the…
Let Go… The Insight Will Come
By Boruch Shalom Rapoport: We’re all usually looking for insight in one area or another. We're wondering how to improve a heavy relationship, how to see new possibility…
Don’t Judge Too Soon
Joseph gets a lot of things wrong at the start of this portion. He does not seem to fit cleanly into the mould of the only man in…
Jacob’s Deeper Fear
When Jacob considers the forthcoming encounter with his brother Esau, the Torah describes his state of mind with two verbs: vayira and vayaitzer. Rashi explains that these reflect two distinct fears:…
To Live Is To Give
The Rabbis say that a person deprived of all material possessions is considered as though they are no longer fully alive. This is why Eliphaz, commanded by his…
Esau and Jacob
The classic conflict between Esau and Jacob is seen as an archetype in world history: that of sword vs spirit. As the famous German Rabbi, Shimshon Raphael Hirsch,…
Why Rebecca’s Kindness to a Stranger Wasn’t About Need
Upon arriving in Haran, Eliezer is met at the well by Rebecca. She not only offers him water but also to give water to his camels. Granted, I…
Responsibility Is Taken, Not Given
In my youth, I was always desperate to be given responsibility. I felt that responsibility meant people had confidence in me and hence made me someone important. Over…
Being Attached to Outcomes Is the Real Problem
God tells Abraham to leave his birthplace and travel to the land which I will show you. What’s obviously missing is where he’s going. But Abraham follows the instruction:…
Is Forgiveness a Jewish Idea? A Case for Yes
With Yom Kippur coming up, I thought I would talk about forgiveness. I recently saw a comment by a fellow rabbi about Erika Kirk’s statement that she had…
The Most Sincere Apology I Ever Received Was From a Crime Boss
In the Orthodox community, it’s customary before Yom Kippur to ask friends and family for forgiveness for harm that might have been done during the year. A noble…
What Does It Mean to “Choose Life” If We’re Already Alive?
There is a puzzling turn of phrase in the portion this week. The section starts by saying, ‘behold, I place before you today blessing and curse, good and…
Why Being “Cursed” in Torah Just Means Your Own Conscience
The Children of Israel were told to stand on two facing mountains, while in the valley between them the Levites proclaimed a series of blessings and curses. Each…
Why Torah Says to Help Your Enemy Before Your Friend
There are two laws in this week’s portion that require us to help someone load and unload their donkey. If you see someone struggling to load, you must…
Would Winning the Lottery Make Me a Better Person?
I sometimes buy a lottery ticket and my wife chuckles when I do. I understand her point but it doesn’t stop me from living in the hope of…
The Four Ways We Get Vows Wrong
I'm a big fan of vows. But if we’re not careful, they can be unused, devalued, misused, or even abused. Let me start with the value of a…
Why a Man Who Broke the Sabbath Was Still Called Righteous
In the incident of Tzlafchad’s daughters (see Torah Portion), Rashi comments on why the Torah traces their lineage all the way back to Joseph. He explains that just…
Why the News Only Shows You Half the Truth
Among the destructive characteristics that our rabbis ascribe to Balaam is what they refer to as a ‘negative eye’. When he looked at anything in the world, he…
How a Symbol Meant to Point to God Became an Idol Instead
During the plague of poisonous snakes, God told Moses to create a copper snake and place it on a pole. “Whoever sees the snake will live,” God said.…
Do You Marry Who You Love, or Love Who You Marry?
This portion tells us that Isaac married Rebecca and then they fell in love. Whereas in two weeks’ time, we are told that Jacob fell in love with…
Why Noah’s Family Refused to Have Children After the Flood
There is so much to be learnt even from the Torah’s subtleties and this week’s portion has a great example. In Genesis 6:19 God tells Noah to enter…
The Jewish Army’s Fear Exemption — And Why It’s Actually About Morale
It is fascinating how the Jewish army draft works. To start with, every man of draftable age (twenty to sixty) is gathered together. One of the priests is…
Moses Never Entered the Promised Land
I have been busy this week, so haven’t had time to write something new. Apologies, but here is something I enjoyed reading myself from three years ago. Moses…
Why God Leads You Wherever You Choose to Go
There is a fundamental principle taught in this week’s portion that I have spoken about before. Balaam asks if he can curse the Children of Israel and God…
Moses’s Anger Makes Him a Better Role Model, Not a Worse One
In this week’s portion, we read the classic story of Moses striking the rock. The Children of Israel were complaining that there was no water. And, seemingly, it…
Your Past Choices Don’t Determine Your Next One
I was once asked what I would do if someone put a gun to my head and told me to bow down to an idol. There was only…
Real Parenting Means Letting Go
The Torah says that when the High Priest kindles the lights of the Menorah, the candelabra in the Temple, he must ‘raise them up’; not light them such…
Being “Wrong” Might Just Mean You Haven’t Understood Yet
I was once on a panel with Muslim and Catholic clerics talking about the spiritual truths that are common to all religions. Someone in the audience asked about…
Why My Worrying Was Crazy Despite the Evidence, Not Because of It
The portion opens with Jacob’s famous dream. He sees a ladder upon which angels are ascending and descending from Heaven. God tells him not to worry. He will…
Why Abraham’s Generation Survived, But Noah’s Didn’t
I came up with this idea to say at my rabbinic ordination. I’m pleased to see that it resonates with me no less today than thirty years ago.…
Why We Cling to the Past Even When We Hated It
God told Moses to ascend Mount N’vo to die ‘in the middle of the day’. The Rabbis explain that the Jewish People had told themselves they were not…
Rosh Hashana Judges Your Future, Not Your Past
Rosh Hashana is the Day of Judgment in Jewish tradition. As the Rabbis say, ‘every human being passes before God like sheep before a shepherd’. There is a…
Life Is the Journey, Not the Destination
I heard this idea from one of my rabbis, Rabbi Yitzi Blachman, at our graduation this week. It’s simple, but, I believe, profound. This week’s portion lists forty-two…
Why Moses Was Punished for Not Seeing Past People’s Words
Rainforests of paper have likely been consumed, through the ages, writing about the nature of Moses’ transgression. It’s not immediately obvious from the reading of the text. But…
Why Certainty Is Usually Your Ego, Not the Truth
Korach felt that Moses was wrong (see Torah Portion section below). He had grabbed too much power for himself. Korach felt he was a great man also. He…
Even Righteous Men Can Fail: The Real Story of the Spies
How is it that great men, like the spies, go so wrong? Rashi, in his seminal Torah commentary, says that when the spies were sent on their mission…
“I Don’t Know” Is More Powerful Than “I Know”
I don’t know. One of life’s most touching and powerful phrases. Do we say it enough? Because when we don’t know – and we humbly accept that we…
Why Most Wars Are Really About Land — And Torah’s Radical Answer
‘For the land belongs to Me; you are strangers and temporary residents…..’ (Leviticus 25:23) This one idea – that land belongs to God and not to us –…
Why Stolen “Waters” Feel Sweeter Than Doing the Right Thing
In this portion the Torah says, ‘don’t be a talebearer amongst your nation’. Above and beyond the regular prohibition of speaking badly of others, this is about ‘mixing’.…
Why the Torah Says We’re Only “Half” a Person Alone
The mandatory tax in support of the Tabernacle was half a shekel from each person. It’s strange that it was half a shekel and not a full shekel.…
Why It Took 400 Verses to Build a Tent
God created the Universe in only thirty-one verses of Genesis. The Tabernacle, however, that we are presently reading about, has over four hundred verses devoted to its design…
Why Giving to Charity Is Actually “Taking”
When Moses is told to collect funds for the Tabernacle, God says that he should tell the people to ‘take, for me, a contribution’. The sages point out…
The Sabbath Is Really About God, Not Just Rest
The Ten Commandments were given on two tablets of stone. One would imagine, however, that God, with all his talents, could have fitted ten short commandments onto a…
Free Will Is the One Thing God Never Takes Away
God tells Moses that he is going to ‘harden Pharaoh’s heart’ so that he will not allow the Children of Israel to leave Egypt. It makes sense –…
Why Losing Gratitude Is a Slippery Slope
The slavery in Egypt began with, ‘a new king arose who did not know of Joseph’. But how could a king not know of Joseph, the saviour of…
Why “Alone” Is a Godly Quality, Not a Lonely One
I heard a lovely idea once from Rabbi Shlomo Levin of South Hampstead Synagogue. In this week’s portion, prior to his struggle with the angel, the Torah tells…
Man Proposes, God Disposes — What Jacob’s Ladder Actually Reveals
The ladder that Jacob saw had God’s angels going ‘up and down it’. The rabbis point out that it is a strange order. Surely God’s angels should be…
The One Quality to Look for in a Spouse: Being a Truth-Seeker
When looking for a wife for Isaac, Eliezer had many criteria – background, family, kindness, to name a few. I want to add in something that I believe…
What Does It Mean to Be an Ivri? Standing Alone for What You Believe
Abraham was known as an ivri. The most ancient name of the Jewish People, the ‘Hebrews’ comes from this term. It comes from the verb laavor, which means…
Why Judaism Points to a Journey With No Destination
God tells Abraham to leave his birthplace and travel to ‘the land which I will show you’. God does not tell Abraham where he’s going. And Abraham follows…
Why Noah Was Righteous But Abraham Was Great
There is no one in all of Torah who is introduced to us with such glowing accolades as Noah. He is righteous; he is the purest of his…
Why Apologizing Is One of Life’s Great Pleasures
I’m a big fan of apologizing. In my experience, it’s one of life’s great pleasures. The Rabbis tell us that whilst Yom Kippur atones for mistakes between a…
Why Rosh Hashana Is a Day for Dreaming, Not Just Reflecting
I thought I’d share some thoughts on Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year). I’ve talked before about it being a day of dreaming. Martin Luther King had a dream…
What Gratitude Actually Means in Judaism (It’s Not “Thank You”)
Jewish law demanded that every farmer bring the first fruit produced by each of his trees to Jerusalem as an offering to God. It would be consumed by…
Why Your Word Doesn’t Mean What It Used To — And How to Get It Back
Vows are a very significant concept in Judaism. Maimonides, who wrote the authoritative guide to Jewish law, devoted an entire book, of fourteen, to vows. However, I find…
Is Anger Ever OK? The Difference Between Ego and Righteous Anger
The Torah says that Pinchas assuaged God’s ‘anger’. When meeting a Moslem Sheikh this week, he mentioned that pretty much the worst thing you can do in Islam…
Why Moses Only Prayed for One of the Twelve Spies
When Moses sent the spies, he changed Hoshea’s name to Joshua. The rabbis understand that he prayed for him. The name Joshua means, ‘God should save you’. Moses…
Why You Are Not Your Worst Mistake
In this week’s portion is the ‘Second Passover’. It is an opportunity for anyone who was unable to bring the Paschal Lamb offering on Passover to bring it…
Why Rapport Matters More Than Behavior
This week’s portion contains the Priestly blessing. Its words, from the Book of Numbers, are well known. ‘May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord…
We Will Do and We Will Understand: Why Blind Faith Isn’t the Goal
We are told that when the Jewish people were offered the Torah by God, they said, ‘we will do then we will hear’. It’s a little strange because…
Why Torah Wants You to Taste Goodness Before You Judge It
This portion is in essence a list of punishments, or perhaps consequences, if the Jewish People chose not to keep Torah. Nowadays, the idea of punishment to get…
What the Jubilee Year Reveals About Torah’s View on Wealth
There is a unique law in this week’s Torah portion, that of the Jubilee year. Indeed the word ‘jubilee’ itself comes from the Hebrew word, yovel. Once every…
Why Gratitude Is the Antidote to Addiction
I spoke last week about slavery to negativity. It’s so easy for us to fall into pessimism about our lives and the world as a whole. I have…
Why Optimism Is More Realistic Than Pessimism
I’m continuing on the theme of freedom prior to Passover. The word for Egypt in Hebrew is Mitzrayim. The letters at the root of the word mean ‘boundaries’…
Why Freedom Alone Isn’t Enough
With Pesach coming up, I’d like to talk about the idea of freedom. It has always interested me that in many ways, we human beings don’t do so…
Humility Is a Strength, Not a Weakness
I heard this idea from our son, Akiva, at his inauguration on Sunday as rabbi of Hadley Wood Synagogue. It was an incredible pleasure to see how the…
Why Doing the Right Thing Sometimes Means Losing Out — And Why That’s OK
Next week, we read the Book of Esther on the holiday of Purim. In a nutshell, the Jewish Nation was threatened with genocide (yes, the holocaust was by…
These, and No Others: What Actually Counts in a Life
My Rabbinic Training Academy once met with a man who is considered to be a multi billionaire. He told us that once he gave an interview in Los…
The Half Shekel of Fire: What Moses Was Really Being Shown
This week, as an extra portion, we once again read the part in last week’s portion about the half shekel given by every member of the Jewish People…
Why the Half Shekel Teaches a Lesson in Self-Righteousness
The portion begins with the idea of taxing each person for half a shekel a year which went towards the upkeep of the Temple. There are two things…
Why Do We Need a Synagogue If God Is Everywhere?
So, what is it? Why a Temple and why Synagogues? God is nowhere if not in our hearts. Why do we need a specific place to worship? Why…
Why Does God Need a Temple?
In a famous verse, the Torah says, when talking about the building of the Tabernacle, ‘build for Me a Temple and I will dwell within you’. Not within…
Why Judaism’s Laws Start With How We Treat Each Other, Not God
This week’s portion is all about civil laws. In this, Judaism differs, perhaps, from most other religions, if not all. (I’m more than happy to stand corrected on…
Why Judaism Doesn’t Actively Seek Converts
Jethro was one of the very first converts to Judaism. I have been studying with my rabbis the concept of conversion and wanted to share a thought or…
Why We Break Resolutions We Actually Believed In
God tells the Jewish People to turn back towards Egypt, that Pharoah would chase after them with his army and then God would finish him off completely. The…
Why “Stranger Danger” Parenting Might Not Protect Our Children
I expect some pushback on this one, but my heart tells me to speak my mind. The issue of abuse has been very much in the minds and…
What It Takes to Be Remembered — And Why It Might Not Matter At All
What does one have to do to be remembered? I visited the disused Rice Lane Cemetery in Liverpool a few months ago. Three of my great grandparents are…
Why Judaism Wants You to Cry at a Funeral
When Jacob was taken to be buried in Israel, his body was accompanied by a very large retinue of both his family and pretty much every Egyptian dignitary.…
Jacob’s Depression: What the Torah Says About Perception vs. Reality
During the 22-year disappearance of Joseph, Jacob fell into what I can only describe as a depression. The Rabbis tell us that as a result, he lost his…
Even Joseph Almost Failed — What That Teaches Us About Judging Others
The ultimate test that Joseph faced, considered perhaps the greatest challenge faced by anyone in the entire Bible, was that of Potiphar’s wife. A quick reminder of the…
Looking for God
If you want to see God in your life, you have to look for Him. And the more you look for Him, the more you find Him. It…
Bad Things Don’t Happen
The book of Job is surely the most shocking book of the Bible. Job is a righteous man -- there is "no one like him on earth; pure,…
Truth and Love
When I asked Rabbi Noach Weinberg, my Rosh Yeshiva, in 1992 about setting up a branch of Aish in the UK, he told me not to do it.…
Rosh Hashana Dreaming
"I have a dream..." ― a phrase immortalised by Martin Luther King. "...I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where…
On Conversion to Judaism
Let us go back to the Jewish perspective on human history. Adam was created with a Godly soul. In eating from the tree, he contaminated that soul. He…
Yom Kippur: A Day of Reconciliation
A husband and wife fight and they grow apart. Neither is willing to take the first step towards reconciliation and so the rift deepens. Each one blames the…
Right On
Amazingly, in the portion of Pinchas, Moses records an incident in which he is proven wrong by five young girls. It's hard to imagine how Moses can possibly…
The Joy of Now
Don't let the pursuit of a better life be an excuse for not living that better life right now. In the Shema, we say, "You shall love God…
Jewish Environmentalism
God has made us partners in His universe. In the portion of Shoftim, specific instructions are given to the Jewish army as to how to fight a war.…
Leap of Faith?
At Mount Sinai, the Jewish people accepted the Torah with the words, na’aseh v’nishma – we will do, then we will understand (Exodus 24:7). Their commitment to keeping God’s Torah…
Self Love
My Rosh Yeshiva, ztzl, used to reminisce about his days as a child on the Lower East Side. Often, he would come back from school and his father…
God’s Magnum Opus – An Introduction to Judaism
GOD Creator There is a being who created this universe. He created matter, space and time. Sustainer Not only did He create the universe, but it is dependent…
Pleasure Isn’t a Dirty Word
Of all the world’s philosophies, the one that is closest to Judaism, in my opinion, is hedonism. By hedonism, I mean its true Greek version, not its Western…
The Mezuzah
What: A mezuzah contains the first two paragraphs of the Shema. The first paragraph deals in main with the fundamentals of Jewish conviction. We accept, ideally as a…
Smelling Spices for the Soul
Amongst the customs of havdalah, after Shabbat, is to make a blessing over pleasant smelling spices. Smell is invisible and hence is considered the most spiritual of our senses…
A Jewish Perspective on Art
Art is an expression of emotion. As such, it must be derived from within. Many are able to create images on canvass. It is few, however, who are…
Happiness?
Happiness is never a happening. Happiness, our sages tell us, is an obligation. Depression, in most cases, is self-indulgent; a convenient way of rationalising why not to face…
Not Your Typical Friday Night Dinner
Shabbat is the Hebrew word whence our English word – and indeed concept – Sabbath, is derived. It is a twenty-five hour long day to refrain from ‘doing’…
Second Marriage
Thirty days after Sheryl Sandberg lost a deeply beloved husband, she wrote the following : When people say to me, “You and your children will find happiness again,”…
Kids and the Love of God
By Chana Rosenblatt What if we are reading it all wrong? What if God is actually our loving, caring Father in Heaven who is not looking to hurt…
Human Intellect vs Human Wisdom
How often does human intellect completely override and subvert human wisdom? Bilaam is the perfect example. The Master of the Universe told Bilaam not to go and curse…
Gratitude in Judaism
If we want to teach our children to be happy, which I assume as parents, we all do, we need to teach them, above all else, to be…
God Does Not Play Dice
I have heard it said that whilst mishpatim are mitzvos that generally make sense to human beings, the chukim have no reason behind them. The sense I sometimes get…
Freedom!
This is the time of year that we are searching for chometz . Chometz represents slavery, not just physical, but spiritual – the inability to make the decisions…
Passover and My Phone Addiction
My first meaningful Jewish experience at seventeen was a Passover Seder. At the time, I was living with an addict. He would freebase heroin, ‘chasing the dragon’, as…
3 Modes of Connection
Rosh Hashana does not mean ‘new’ year, it means ‘head’ of the year. The head is the part of the body that guides and directs the whole. So…
250 Words on Chanukah
In 167 BCE, the Greeks set out to destroy Judaism by imposing a ban on Jewish tradition, punishable by death. Many Jews had assimilated already. Once the decree…
Judaism and Innate Health – Part 2
I talked last week about a new and different approach to mental wellbeing. An approach that is very much in line with the Torah’s perspective – that we…
Judaism and Innate Health – Part 1
The etymology of the word ‘psychology’ derives from psychi, the Greek word for ‘soul’, coupled with the suffix -ology meaning ‘science of’. Psychology, in its original form, means science of…
Three Principles Thought
Recently I was walking in the street and found myself crying. I’d spontaneously started thinking about my late wife, Elana, and the pain of her loss had made…
Does Ritual Point Back to Form
I don’t see the purpose of Judaism’s ritual as to keep us grounded in this world. I believe, rather, it is to enhance our experience of freewill. In…
3 Principles and Torah – A Thought
By Chana Rosenblatt Why understanding of mind will only bring a person closer to Torah and God. In my mind, Torah is form. An understanding of a spiritual…
The Jigsaw Puzzle of Life
The last thing my wife said to me was to, 'tell people that one day we will look at this crazy puzzle and laugh'. Well, I'm telling people.…
Love
As the memory of my wife slowly fades, I want to write one last article on what I have learnt from her. I want to talk about love…
Looking for God
God is intimately involved in all that happens in our lives. And if what happens is cancer, then not only does He know about it, He makes it…
Life is Beautiful
By Elana Rosenblatt About two years ago, we had an unplanned growth in our family -- a large cancerous tumor. But the growth I want to talk about…
Coming to Terms With Cancer
What do you do when you find out that your 27 year old wife has cancer? Well, first you cry a lot. After all, it’s quite a shock.…
Lessons From Elana
My wife, who passed away some weeks ago, was someone who gave and gave and gave to all around her. She will be missed by many. I have…
Cancer’s Surprising Gift
When my wife was diagnosed with cancer, something odd happened. Her anger at God went away. My wife always struggled with the concept of suffering. It really bothered…
London Burning
In regards to the 2011 UK riots: We Jews don’t believe in coincidences. So seeing the plumes of smoke only a few miles away from me on Tisha…
Seeing the Light in Darkness
As with all good things in life, trust in God does not just happen. You don't go to bed one night feeling that God is out to get…
The Rosh Yeshiva’s Trust In God
Es Haelokim hishalech Noach, Noach walked with God. Bitachon was not one compartment of the Rosh Yeshiva’s life; it was the air that he breathed. Every frum Jew…
Rosh Yeshiva – 4th Yahrzeit
Has it really been 4 years since the passing of my beloved Rebbe? My guide, my mentor, my role model……. my hero. Hardly a day passes that I…
Bombing Syria
My opinion is that MPs were right to rule out military action against Syria at this point. Don’t get me wrong, I'm not a pacifist. There is a…
Belzec – The Forgotten Camp
I wanted to go to Belzec (pronounced Biwzhets) because no one really does. I felt that as many as a million Jews died there in the space of…
London Bombings
Growing up post Holocaust, my generation has never experienced a war. And, growing up in England, my generation has also never experienced the horrors of terror. What went…
Giving In Relationships: Parshat Tzav
The Courage to Be Imperfect: Parshat Toldos
The Nature of Complaining: Parshat Behaalotcha
The Weight of Resentment & The Freedom of Letting Go: Parshat Acharei Mos Kedoshim
The Highest Form of Giving: Parshat Tetzaveh
Better to Be a Victim: Parshat Vayikra
The Power of Effort: Parshat Pekudei
The Missed Opportunity: Parshat Vayakhel
The Power of Sacrifice: Parshat Vayakhel Pekudei
Be the Solution: Parshat Shemini
The Heart, the Eyes, and Belief: Parshat Shelach
What You See in Others: Parshat Metzora
You Don’t Lose By Doing The Right Thing: Parshat Lech Lecha
What Really Matters: Parshat Behar
Why Revenge Makes No Sense: Parshat Kedoshim
It’s All in the Eye: Parshat Tazria
Every Individual Counts: Parshat Bamidbar
Why Does God Punish: Parshat Bechukosai
The Cost of Leadership: Parshat Vayikra
The Long Game of Giving: Parshat Terumah
The Fragility & Power Of Marriage: Parshat Naso
No Shortcuts to Holiness: Parshat Mishpatim
Dignity & Responsibility: Parshat Emor
Be Like a Desert: Parshat Bamidbar
Give Where It Matters: Parshat Terumah
Don’t Just Watch: Parshat Vayeira
When Desire Becomes Danger: Parshat Va’etchanan
No More, No Less: Parshat Ki Tisa
Grief And Bereavement: With Dr Jack Pransky
Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People
Living with Gratitude
To Be Heard
When Prayer Becomes Real
Before You Pray, Be Ready to Fight
Praying for Someone Else
Who Is Really in Control?
Learning to Ask
The God Who Sustains Everything
What Prayer Really Is
Why Rabbis Should Stay Out of Politics
Judaism And The Modern World
Zionism and the Jewish Identity Crisis
Week 5: The Five Levels Of Free Will
Week 4: The Integrity Of Oral Torah
Week 3: Evidence For The Truth Of Torah – Part 2
Yom Kippur – Saying Sorry
Rosh Hashana – One Minute Video
Week 2: Evidence for the Truth of Torah – Part 1
Week 1: Who is God?
Meaning What You Pray (Part 1)
Meaning What You Pray (Part 2)
Meaning What You Pray (Part 3)
Meaning What You Pray (Part 4)
Meaning What You Pray (Part 5)
The 5 Levels of the Soul & The 3 Principles (Part 2)
The 5 Levels of the Soul and The 3 Principles (Part 1)
Halloween: Stars, Ladders & Crystal Balls
Yom Kippur Confession: Practically Speaking
Charity: Who’s Giving To Who
Prayer: Who Does It Change?
Yom Kippur – Teshuva: Is Innocence Better?
Intelligent Giving
Death & The Afterlife
Freewill: Even Though God’s Infinite
Body Or Soul
Is God The Adjustment Bureau Or Do We Have Independence?
How To Get Your Prayers Answered – Part 3
How To Get Your Prayers Answered – Part 2
How To Get Your Prayers Answered – Part 1
The Oral Law – Part 2
The Oral Law – Part 1
Making Order of The Seder
Honour Your Parents
Gratitude: Attitude or Platitude?
The Dream Paradox
The 5 levels of the Soul and the 3 Principles (Part 3)
Vidduy Unplugged
The Prayers of Rosh Hashanah: Dreaming the Dream
The Wolf of Wall Street – How to succeed in business without losing your soul
Guidelines For Interpersonal Relationships: Service And Gratitude
Guidelines for Interpersonal Relationships: Don’t Covet
Guidelines for Interpersonal Relationships: Forgiveness & Revenge
Guidelines for Interpersonal Relationships: Love
Death Isn’t The End?
Are We Looking For God In The Wrong Place?
You can’t force change – you can only wake up to something new
Entitlement: Does Anyone Owe Us Anything?
AI: Should We Be Excited or Worried?
The Trouble with Blame
How to Know What Direction to Take in Life
Choosing Life
One Step At A Time
Real Change Can’t Be Imposed (Even by Ourselves)
The Giving Effect
Why Social Media Is Distorting Your Reality
What Do Parents Owe Their Children?
The News Diet: Protecting Your Feeling in a 24/7 World
Fear or Perspective? Navigating Antisemitism Without Losing Yourself
A Busy Life, A Quiet Mind
Separate Realities In Relationships
Why Understanding Moods Matters So Much – Part 2
Why Understanding Moods Matters So Much
The Spirit Of Giving
Episode 30 – The Surefire Road To Success
Episode 29 – Living From Vision, Not Obligation: Part 2
Episode 28 – Living From Vision, Not Obligation
Episode 27 – Our Experience Of Life Comes From Within
Episode 26 – The Sydney Terror Attack
Episode 25 – Choosing Life
Episode 24 – Love Is The Feeling
Episode 23 – Learning from the Hyenas
Episode 22 – Were the Nazis ‘evil’?
Episode 20 – ‘I Swear’
Episode 19 – Till Divorce Do Us Part
Episode 18 – ‘Get Over Yourself’. The three most important words in a relationship – Part 2
Episode 17 – ‘Get Over Yourself’. The three most important words in a relationship
Episode 16 – Assisted Dying – Compassion Or Surrender?
Episode 15 – You shall love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt (Deuteronomy 10:19)
Episode 13 – How To Make Your Dreams Come True
Episode 12 – When Life Doesn’t Go To Plan
Episode 11 – All You Need Is Love
Episode 10 – Living In The Moment
Episode 9 – What A Time To Be Alive
Episode 8 – Seeing Beyond Opinions
Episode 7 – Our Experiences Are What They Need To Be
Episode 6 – The Danger Of Busymindedness
Episode 5 – The Hope That Humanity Can Change
Episode 4 – Is Attraction Overrated?
Episode 3 – Trusting Yourself Around Food: The Wisdom Within
Episode 2 – Trusting In Our Kids’ Wisdom
Episode 1 – Parenting: Trust and the Art of Letting Go
S2 – Episode 2: Moshiach – What Are We Waiting For?
S2 – Episode 1: AI & Mental Health, the Future of Therapy?
S1 Episode 11: Never Broken, Nothing Lacking | Dr. Bill Pettit
S1 Episode 10: Gender Role Relevance and Women’s Rights
S1 Episode 9: Psychedelic Healing
S1 Episode 8: Suicide and How You Can Help
S1 Episode 7: The Real Cost of Divorce
S1 Episode 6: Lord, Get Me High
S1 Episode 5: Jewish Gender Equality and Women Orthodox Rabbis
S1 Episode 4: Religion and Mental Health
S1 Episode 3: Mental Health?
S1 Episode 2: Free from Occupation, Free from Extremism
